Houthi rebels capture strategic Red Sea islands, threatening Saudi shipping routes

Houthi forces have seized the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands in the southern Red Sea, marking a significant escalation of territorial control that puts the group within striking distance of some of the world’s most vital shipping lanes. The islands sit roughly 160 km north of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway that funnels an enormous share of global trade between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The capture, which took place around September 14, follows the Houthis’ recent seizure of the strategic Red Sea port of Mokha and Perim (Mayun) Island. For Saudi Arabia, which has increasingly relied on the Red Sea route for oil exports due to disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz, the timing could hardly be worse. Why the Hanish Islands matter The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is one of the planet’s most important maritime chokepoints, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, ultimately, the Indian Ocean. The Hanish archipelago, at 160 km north of the strait, offers a commanding position over northbound and southbound shipping traffic. Combined with Perim Island, which sits almost directly in the Bab al-Mandeb, the Houthis now hold overlapping zones of influence over the approach...